Sahitya Akademi award-winner Vivekanand Thakur, 82, is upset that he had to make arrangements himself to publish his fourth collection of poems after he couldn’t find a publisher.

Thakur, winner of 2005 Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of poems “Chanan Ghan Gachchiya”, said he could not find a publisher for his work written in Maithili language, his mother tongue and had to bear the cost of publishing his next book of poems “Je Muhu Apan”, to be released shortly.

“I am spending from my pension money and my wife uses her art in Madhubani paintings to do the cover illustration for my books. She has illustrated all my previous three books,” Thakur said.

Thakur published his first book at age 68 and is a fan of well-known Bengali poet Jibanananda Das.

The translation of the book that won him the Sahitya Akademi award into Bengali has been approved by the literary body, he said.

“A translated version of the book in Odiya and Hindi is under consideration as well,” said the poet.

Born and brought up in Madhubani, Thakur joined the office of Accountant General in Ranchi as an auditor in 1954. After clearing seven departmental examinations, he retired as an officer in 1988.

Thakur’s other two books are ‘Ek Sare Thad’ and ‘Swas Swas Mei Viswas’ and he mostly cover subjects like nature, village life and village folk.